JJ Slevin’s William Hill blog: Ballymore to bounce back

William Hill ambassador JJ Slevin looks ahead to his Saturday rides at Fairyhouse’s Easter Meeting.

Saturday, Fairyhouse

2.10pm – For Fear Of Frost

He looked like quite a nice prospect when he was second to Impaire Et Passe the first day he ran. He then went back to a bumper, and he has been kind of disappointing ever since. If he brings that first run back to the table you would be hopeful he could run a good race.

He seems to have been going quite well at home as Mouse (Morris) seems to be happy with him. If he comes back to that Naas effort he is well up to winning a maiden hurdle. The two-and-a-half-mile trip will be ideal for him as he is not a slow horse.

4.30pm – Built By Ballymore

We didn’t see the real Built By Ballymore in the Coral Cup. He travelled well, and got into a nice position, but ultimately I think they didn’t go fast enough in the race as they jumped the second last then sprinted. To have been seen at his best he probably needed to be further back in the field off a strong pace. He would have then come home strongly where those going forward early would then be coming back to him. They just got away from, and had too many gears for him on the day, with the way the race was ridden.

I think the extended two miles seven furlongs here should be right up his street, and the softer it is the better for him. It probably will be a help to him going back into novice company. He will have learned plenty for the race at Cheltenham. It will be a smaller field than the Coral Cup on slower ground which will help him. I don’t think the quick turnaround will be a problem as Martin (Brassil) is obviously happy enough to let him take his chance. He didn’t get a hard race at Cheltenham by any means so you would be very hopeful that race wouldn’t have left a mark on him. He has got the cheekpieces on again, but I think he will be at home on the heavy ground.

5.05pm – Comfort Zone

He is a really nice horse, and I managed to win a maiden on him in Navan. All the way along he has achieved quite a lot whether that be on the Flat or over hurdles. I suppose heavy ground might not be to his liking, but it will be nice to get a run into him and see what he can do. He ran well when winning the Grade Two at Chepstow last season, and I suppose it would have been very soft that day. He is a good honest horse and I’m looking forward to him. I would ride him occasionally at home, but he is a very straightforward horse. He seems in good form, and has been away for a few days out. He is a nice uncomplicated horse to ride.

He has achieved quite a lot, and he has probably gone under the radar a little bit. He is going to be a nice horse going into the spring on better ground. This is likely to blow away a few cobwebs as the heavy ground will probably not be to his liking, but it will move him forward.

Reflections on the Cheltenham Festival

It was a really good performance from Lark In The Mornin in the Boodles. We were worried about the ground going there. He travelled really well. He missed the third last, which is a vital hurdle to miss, but he came back on the bridle, and it was a good performance to win on the day. I think he might be one to go back on the Flat and maybe look at Royal Ascot with. In the long term back over jumps he might be one for the Grimes Hurdle. A lot of horses are trained for Cheltenham and Joseph (O’Brien) might just let him down, and freshen him up, with a view to something in the summer.

It was very frustrating to be unseated aboard Fastorslow in the Gold Cup. Everything was going okay, and it was a long way out when it happened. It has taken me this long to get over it, but was one of those things unfortunately, and that is jump racing. I think Punchestown will be the plan again now. It is going to be a good race with the likes Galopin Des Champs going there and hopefully we can get a bit of luck. If we get the real Fastorslow he will be bang there with them, and he will have every chance of beating them.

The horse was better than I was after the Gold Cup. I rode him a few days afterwards and he was fine. It was really frustrating, but I suppose the only thing is he didn’t have a hard race and that could help at Punchestown as Cheltenham can leave a massive mark on horses.

The course probably walked a bit better than rode in the Ryanair and in those kinds of races you have to take your chance, but it was purely the ground that beat Banbridge. He didn’t travel with the fluency and ease in which he can. He jumped okay, but it was a bit of an effort because of the ground. That wasn’t the real Banbridge and we will move on to Aintree where hopefully he will get his ground. I think you could put a line through his Ryanair run as he is a real good ground horse. Hopefully you will see a different horse at Aintree.